Portland rarely gets snow. And when it does it feels like the whole city shuts down. So when you do go for a snowy walk you kind of feel like you are completely alone in the world. It's pretty magical. This is one of many reasons that I love this wedding.

Rod and Laura decided that they just wanted a small and intimate wedding. Super simple and very special. As much as large weddings can have grand flower arrangements and stunning cakes, nothing quite speaks to me like a tiny, low-stress affair. Thank you to our friends at Powers Photography Studios for sharing this lovely, albeit freezing, evening with us!

Did your wedding location hold a specific significance to you? Mingo has been a favorite of my family for many years. We spent many special nights dining there with the seasonal menu and great wines. The staff knows us by name and is always very accommodating.

What was the most meaningful part of your day? It was such a good feeling to see all the people we love come together to celebrate our love. One of the most meaningful parts of the day was that my mom did the flower arrangements and my bouquet. My mom has a special touch to making things look good and it really meant a lot to us to have her touch in our wedding.

Did anything funny or out of the ordinary happen? A blizzard! How much more out of the ordinary can you get! Looking back now I can’t imagine the day any other way. It truly made it unforgettable and added a whole different element to our wedding day. To see everyone still push forward and pull together to make it happen for us was heartwarming. I knew no matter what, we were going out into that snow and getting some amazing photos. Even though the wind was blowing the snow into our eyes and we were oh so cold we tried to look calm and warm.

How did you know your partner was "the one"? I knew that he was the one by the man that he was when he was with me. Gentle and giving and always making me his priority. I never have to doubt his love for me because he shows me every single day in so many ways. Our love felt natural and true. Soon after meeting him I couldn’t help but overwhelmingly feel that every single moment of my life, every twists and turn, and up and down led me straight to him.

Any advice you'd give new brides who are just getting started? Enjoy the process of planning a wedding and be open new ideas while sticking to your style and go with what your heart tells you. The key to enjoying something that catches you completely off guard on your wedding day is just to roll with the punches and embrace how the day is unfolding as your own unique day. No matter how much you plan for something to be there will always be surprises and turns and that is all a part of the excitement of your wedding day. In the end having the people we love with us to celebrate beginning a new life together was the most important “detail” of our day.